Dr. Colin Cooper, PhD., Cht., Rmt., CPC
Founder, CEO and Principal
Dr. Colin Cooper is a scholar, teacher, and master healer, organizational development practitioner and parent who has spent over 25 years studying the intersection of human energy and organizational health. As an Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology expert, she excels at bridging the gap between academic rigor and real-world results. Colin famously founded Focus Hu-Energy while still serving as a Tenured Professor at Bowie State University—a period that allowed her to battle-test her theories in real-time before moving into her current roles as a Scholar in Residence at the Organizational Trauma Intervention Studies Lab (OTIS) at Rutgers University and a member of the Editorial Board for the Organization Development Review.
Colin’s deep commitment to the field is rooted in her own pioneering journey. She is a dedicated adjunct lecturer and mentor at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) I-O program—her doctoral alma mater. Dr. Cooper holds a historic place in the program’s legacy as the first African American woman to earn a doctorate there, a milestone that fuels her passion for mentoring the next generation of practitioners and leaders.
Her unique “Strong Spine, Soft Heart” philosophy comes from her dual identity as a high-level researcher and a Reiki Master Teacher, Certified Hypnotherapist, and lifelong Buddhist practitioner whose practice centers on chanting. Working in close collaboration with the OTIS Lab, her current research and publications focus on the critical areas of professional socialization and organizational trauma and dysregulation, and heart-centered oriented cultures (HCO). Colin understands that systemic realignment—fixing the “pipes and wires” of an organization—is only half the battle. To achieve true sustainability, the professionals within that system must also be restored. Whether she is advising a corporate board or working with a community-based non-profit, Colin’s focus is always on creating a culture where people can lead with clarity and organizations can thrive without burnout.